A Parent's Guide to MAP

Student MAP Scores
Student MAP testing results are reported in RIT scores (short for Rasch
Unit). A RIT score is an estimation of a student’s instructional level and
also measures student progress or growth in school. You may have a
chart in your home on which you mark your child’s height at certain times,
such as on his or her birthday. This is a growth chart to show how much
he or she has grown from one year to the next. MAP assessments do the
same sort of thing, except they measure your student’s growth in mathematics,
reading, and language usage. The RIT scale is an equal-interval
scale much like feet and inches on a yardstick. It is used to chart your
child’s academic growth from year to year. This type of score increases
the value of the tests as a tool to improve student learning because it
enables teachers to pinpoint what students have learned and what students
are ready to learn.
Understanding the RIT Score
The charts on the inside of this brochure show national mean RIT scores
(2011 NWEA Normative Data) for grades 1-9 in a typical school district.
You may use these charts to help determine if your student is performing
at, above, or below grade level compared to students across the nation.
It is important to understand that the MAP test is one test at one point in
time. It does not measure intelligence or a student’s capacity for learning.
When making important decisions about students, school staff will
consider the MAP test results along with other data such as classroom
performance, other test scores, and input from parents and teachers.
Growth Over Time
We expect RIT scores to increase over time. Typically, younger students
show more growth in one year than older students. Students who test
above grade level often show less growth. Sometimes RIT scores may
decline from one test to the next. One low test score is not cause for
immediate concern. Like adults, students have good and bad days and
their test results do not always indicate what they know. Students’ attitudes
toward the test can also affect their score. Therefore, growth over
time is a better measure of student learning.
Parents and guardians should become comfortable with the understanding
that individuals will grow at different rates. Anticipated growth rates
for each student are based on national norms and should be viewed as
“typical” growth, not expected growth. Teachers and principals have
participated in training to learn what the MAP test results mean and how
to best utilize the results. Our goal is for teachers to use the data to
differentiate and adjust instruction so that all students grow at levels
appropriate for each individual.
Measures of Academic Progress®
What is MAP
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is a state-aligned computerized
adaptive assessment program that provides Aiken County
educators with the information they need to improve teaching and
learning and make student-focused, data-driven decisions.
Students in grades one through nine are tested three times per year
in math, reading, and language usage. Educators use the growth
and achievement data from MAP to develop targeted instructional
strategies and to plan school improvement.
MAP:
• Is not an accountability test
• Generates test questions based on student responses
• Reports student results in RIT scores (see back page)
• Gives immediate results
• Is aligned to SC curriculum standards
• Measures growth over time
• Provides information used to target individual instruction
If you have immediate questions, please contact your student’s class-
room teacher (elementary) or math or English teacher (middle and high
school) or your building principal.
Aiken County Public Schools
1000 Brookhaven Drive
Aiken, South Carolina 29803
803-641-2428
www.aiken.k12.sc.us
www.aiken.k12.sc.us

September/October
W h e n a r e t e s t s g i v e n
Three (3) times per year
December/January
March
(Fall) (Winter) (Spring)
H o w a r e t e s t s g i v e n
• On the computer under adult supervision in the school setting
• Adjusts to a student’s skill level so that each student takes an
individualized test
Grade
Grade
W h a t t e s t s a r e g i v e n
Reading
Math
Language
1st
9th
2nd—9th
Fall MAP Reading RIT Score
Above
Grade Level
At Grade
Level
Growth Guideline Chart
The chart below shows the NATIONAL grade level scores for 1st-9th
graders who tested in Fall and Spring. This shows the yearly growth
that is typical for each grade level. When you review your child’s scores,
you can check to see if his/her growth is above, at, or below average,
compared to students in the same grade.
Reading Year's
Math Year's
Fall Spring Growth Fall Spring Growth
1 160 177 17 1 163 179 16
2 176 190 14 2 178 191 13
3 190 199 9 3 192 203 11
4 200 207 7 4 204 213 9
5 207 212 5
6 212 216 4
7 216 220 4
8 219 222 3
9 221 223 2
Is my child on grade level
Below
Grade Level
1-Grade
Below
2-Grades
Below
1 161+ 160 144-159 143-
2 177+ 176 161-175 144-160 143-
3 191+ 190 177-189 161-176 160-
4 201+ 200 191-199 177-190 176-
5 208+ 207 201-206 191-200 190-
6 213+ 212 208-211 201-207 200-
7 217+ 216 213-215 208-212 207-
8 220+ 219 217-218 213-215 212-
9 222+ 221 220 216-218 216-
Grade
Grade
Fall MAP Math RIT Score
Above
Grade Level
At Grade
Level
Grade
5 213 221 8
6 220 226 6
7 226 231 5
8 230 235 5
9 234 236 2
Below
Grade Level
1-Grade
Below
2-Grades
Below
1 164+ 163 144-162 143-
2 179+ 178 164-177 144-163 143-
3 193+ 192 179-191 164-178 163-
4 205+ 204 193-203 179-192 178-
5 214+ 213 205-212 193-204 192-
6 221+ 220 214-219 205-213 204-
7 227+ 226 221-225 214-220 213-
8 231+ 230 227-229 221-226 220-
9 235+ 234 231-233 227-230 226-
Grade
Grade
Winter MAP Reading RIT Score
Above
Grade Level
At Grade
Level
Below
Grade Level
1-Grade
Below
2-Grades
Below
1 172+ 171 152-169 151-
2 185+ 184 171-183 152-170 151-
3 196+ 195 184-194 171-183 170-
4 204+ 203 196-202 184-195 183-
5 211+ 210 204-209 196-203 195-
6 215+ 214 211-213 204-210 203-
7 219+ 218 215-217 211-214 210-
8 222+ 221 219-220 215-218 214-
9 223+ 222 219-221 218-
Spring MAP Reading RIT Score
Above
Grade Level
At Grade
Level
Below
Grade Level
1-Grade
Below
2-Grades
Below
1 178-187 177 157-176 156-
2 190-209 190 178-189 157-177 156-
3 200-218 199 191-198 178-190 177-
4 207-225 207 200-206 191-199 190-
5 213-230 212 208-211 200-207 199-
6 217-234 216 213-215 208-212 207-
7 221-237 220 217-219 213-216 212-
8 224-242 222 221 217-220 216-
9 224-242 223 221-222 220-
Grade Grade
Winter MAP Math RIT Score
Above Grade
Level
At Grade
Level
Below
Grade Level
1-Grade
Below
2-Grades
Below
1 173+ 172 152-171 151-
2 187+ 186 173-185 152-172 151-
3 200+ 199 187-198 173-186 172-
4 210+ 209 200-208 187-199 186-
5 219+ 218 210-217 200-209 199-
6 224+ 223 219-222 210-218 209-
7 229+ 228 224-227 219-223 218-
8 234+ 233 229-232 224-228 223-
9 235+ 235 234 229-233 228-
Spring MAP Math RIT Score
Above Grade
Level
At Grade
Level
Below
Grade Level
1-Grade
Below
2-Grades
Below
1 179+ 178 156-177 155-
2 191+ 191 179-190 156-178 155-
3 203+ 203 192-202 179-191 178-
4 213+ 211 204-210 192-203 191-
5 221+ 220 212-219 204-211 203-
6 226+ 225 221-224 212-220 211-
7 231+ 230 226-229 221-225 220-
8 235+ 234 231-233 226-230 225-
9 236+ 236 235 231-234 230-